Tractor



C. F. WALZ.

TRACTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26. 1920.

u n u a u.

WITNESS @lam C. F. WALZ.

TRACTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26,1920.

, nire] Siret-as rAfrrNfr C11-*Fica Y -x f CARL E'WALZ, or MINNEAPOLIs'i/IINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR 'ro s; L; ALLEN sa Co., INC.,

' v ACORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA. A

TRACTOR.

Application iiledgJuly 26,

To all whom t may concern: Y

Ee `it known that l, CARL EVALZ, a citizen otUnited States, and a` resident of lfinneapolis, county j of Hennepin, yand State ot Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tractors, of which the lfollowing is a specification, reference being'had to theaccompanying drawings. i,

My invention relates more particularly to tractors intended for use in agricultural operations and the like and which comp-rise power unit including suitablek transmission mechanism ordinarily oi' the sliding gear type, supported on a. pair of traction wheels and rearwardly` extendingr beani pivotedior vhorizontal movement with respectV to the power unit, the beam under operative conitions, being attached to and supportedby, a trailing implement or the like. In roperation the tractor-is steered and the power unit rcontrolled through suitable means carriedby the beam and movable therewith, and as the steering is effected by causing relative horizontal movement between the wheels and the lower unit. of the tractor on one hand and the beam on vthe other, it is requisite toprovide means for permitting this movement to occur withoutaiiecting the adjusted position ofthe power unit controls, and more particularly the gear shitting means, as well as for permitting the operation oi the controls from any position which may be assumed by the beam. Y Y

principal object oi my invention is the provision Vin a tractor having a rearwardly 'extending beam or similar member hori- :nntally movable with respect to the power unit or the tractor and serving to support the power 'unit controls, Aof means whereby such movement ot the beam as `may be requisite in the operationfoi the tractor will not anicetY or vdisturb l the adjusted position of the4 transmission gears of the power unit and to provide in aL tractor of the character aforesaid, means for shitting the transmission gears without reference to and independently of thevposition of the tractor Speciiicatoii of -Letters Patent.`

beam with respecty to the power unit'pof the tractor.

`Further objects of myy inventionareto provide means adapted Afor the performance of the hereinbeforevv mentioned. functions ,which are of simple design and construction vand Anot lliableto get out 0f order or to rbefdainaged through rough `handling or long continued use; which are reliable vand p .ositive in operatioinand which may be readily embodied in tractorsoi' the ordinary type without extensive changes and alterations in their kdesign.

My invention further includes all of the`r other various objects and novel features of construction and varrangement hereina'iter more definitely speciiiedjanddescribed. y

While' for the purpose of carrying out the objects oi my invention I mayl employ any suitable instrumentalitiesor combinations thereot effectiveA for performing the desired functions l have, tor thepurpose of enabling those skilled inthe art to vpracticethe invention, illustrated in the accom- 'panying drawings, and will now proceed to describe, a preferred embodiment of' means suitable therefor in combination witha tractor of typical design and construction, only showing however, such parts of the latter as are requisite for obtaining a clear compre` vhension ci the invention. twill be understood, therefore, that'it is not my desire or intention to limitinyself by the present disclosure to the employment otmy inven- 'loV tion yin a tractor of the specific form and y `plan view of the same, the` various parts in these'two figures beingin the same position; Fig. 4, Va top plan view similar to Fig. 3 but showingv certain of the parts in a diiierent position, and Fig.V 5, a substan- CJD desired.

tially diagrammatic top plan View of certain of the parts shown in VFigs. 3 and at but in another position. Like numerals are employed to designate corresponding parts in the several figures.

rlhe tractor shown in the drawing embodies a pair of traction wheels l rotatable on suitable axles and which serve to supportthe power unit, comprising an internal combustion motor positioned beneath a hood 2 and a transmission housing Ll in the rear of the motor and preferably operatively uni-- tary therewith, within which is positioned suitable transmission mechanism of any j'neferred design and construction through which the power generated by the motor is transferred to the traction wheels, ordinarily through the medium of jack-shaft 5 carrying on veach end a pinion 3 meshing with an internal ring gear (not shown) carried by each wheel. rlhe particular design and construction ofthe transmission mechanism form no parthof the present in- `vention, but it will be understood that ordi- `narily in tractors of this type the mechanism is arranged to give one or more speeds forward and a single reverse speed as well as a neutral point or position to which the shifting gear or gears may be brought when Etwill further be understood that interposed between the transmission nech- `anism and the motor is a clutch 0f any suitable design and that means are provided, one form of which is hereinafter more particularly described, for effecting its engagement and disengagement.

Pivotedto any suitable part of the power unit, for example and as shown, to the transmission housing, is a rearwardly extending yoke 8 which carries a rearwardly extending beam 9 of suitable design supported on the yoke in any suitable manner, the beam and yoke being capable of movement in a horizontal plane with respect to the power unit, such movement being conveniently effected through the coaction of a segmental raclr l0 carried by the transmission housing and a pinion ll meshingtherewith carried on the yoke, and rotatable through the medium of suitable gearing, contained in a housing l2, by the steering` post 13 terminating in a steering wheel 14, a universal joint- 15 between thek gearing` and the post compensating for the angularity of the steering post. lt will be understood that in use the tractor is steered by causing relative movement between the power' unit. and the beam to which the trailing vimplement is attached, as will be well understood by those familiar with the art, so thatI the relative angular relation of the beam and power unit is frequently changed.

It will be further understood that in the operation of the tractor the gears within the transmission housing, must be frequently shifted and that as the operator is usually seated adjacent the steering wheel, either on a seat 16 carried by the tractor beam or on a seat carried by the implement, it is desirable that the gear shifting means or lever be positioned at a point adjacent the outer endl of the beam where it may be conveniently reached by the operator. Means must therefore be provided for connecting` the gear Vshifting lever with the shifting mechanism inside of the transmission case, and since, as hitherto stated, the angular relation between the beam and the transmission case is frequently varied and, in consequence, the yrelative position of the gear shifting lever supported by the beam and the shifting mechanism `within the case, the movement of the beam would tend to effect an undesired movement of the gears in the absence of the provision of means for the prevention thereof.

For the purpose of obviating this dillculty l provide by the employment of suitable instrumentalities, a preferred form of which will be hereinafter described, means whereby the gears may be shifted by suitable actuation of the gear shifting lever carried by the beam without regard to the relative angular relation of the beam and the transmission housing, said means also permittingdesired movement of the beanr necessary in the operation of the tractor without causing any disturbance of the posh tion to which the gears may have been adshaft serving to hold it in position within the sleeve. The gear 23 may convenient be made integral with one member of a universal oint 25 positioned behind the gear and from which a rod 26 extends rearwardly to a support 2T carried by the tractor beam,

a handle 28, which may be convenientlv termed the gear shifting lever, being` formed on the end of the rod and positioned within easy reach of the operator. In order to afford the utmost freedom of movement to the beam in the operation of steering the tractor, it is desirable to position thc universal joint 25 as nearly as may be to the vertical axis of oscillation of the beam` so that l'as the latter carrying the rod 2G s vings horizontally, any possible tendency to cause rotation of the shaft 22 is reduced to a minimum.

Suitably positioned to mesh therewith and preferably beneath the gear 23 is a segmental bevel rack or gear 30 which is arranged for horizontal rotation in either direction -by the saidgear, suitable means :being; providedfor .its support.y lVhile said means may ybe of any suitable rform or construction, l prefer to use the .clutch actuating shaft 34 a support for the gear 8O byextendingthef shaft upwardly to engage within a boss 35 formed on the bracleti20, thereby steadying the shaft without impairing its freedom`v of rotation. AIt will be understoodthat for the purpose of causing the partial revolution of this shaft to actuate the clutch, suitable means are provided, which may conveniently comprise a lever 36 pinned or otherwise secured to the shaft and extending horizontally outwardlytherefrom, one end of the lever being connected to a rod 3T, through a suitable clevis 38 and the other end to a substantially vertically extending lever 40, the lower end of which is pivot-ed to .the transmission housing and the upper end preferably bent inwardly and engaged'througha hook and eye or other suitable connection, with a rod 42 extending rearwardly to the clutch lever 48 supported on and carried bythe tractor beam. lt will beunderstood, however, that theeonstruc'- tion and arrangement` of the means employed for actuating the clutch form no part of therpresent*invention and may rtherefore beef. any suitable, form or design7 but it may be observed that as considerable lost `motion can be permitted in thelinkage employed between theclutch lever and the clutch shaft 34 without impairing the operators control ofthe clutch, the linkage may be readily arranged in numerousways which are. entirely satisfactory inoperation and substantially unaffected by relative movement between the tractor beam` and the transmission housing. Vhen,therefore,l theclutch shaft 34 is utilized to afford Lsupport for the gear 30, the latter may be provided with an arm or web. integral with a sleeve' 46 surround- `ing and rotatable upon the shaft 34, the

sleeve being also provided with another arm 47, either integral therewith' or suitably secured thereto, and which may extend approximately atright angles. to the center line of the gear. The outer extremity of arm 4T is conveniently connected,as by Va rod 48, to

another arm 49 carried by the gear shifting.

shaft 50 which passes through the transmission-housing and serves to actuate the forks o'r'other mechanism therein disposed through the mediumof which the gears within the xh'ou'sing'fare moved in and out of mesh. lt

will be understood that the mechanismwithin the housinglmay be of any suit-able design and construction, aswill be readily understood by thosefamiliar 'with the art, and as the same forms no part of my invention l have omittedy illustration and` description thereof, it being sufficient :for a clear comprehension of the present invention to understand that the actuation of the gear shifting kerably approximately centrally means is edected by partial rotationof-,the Y shaft 50 or other equivalent means extending outside of the transmission 'housing and 2 and 8 the relation assumed by the several elements when the tractor beam is substan-` tially in central position with respect to the rack 10 and thetransmission gears in neutral position, the segment 30 being prefy disposed with respect to the center line ofthe machine.- lt will be evident that under thesel conditions movement of thek handle 28 toy the right or left will serve to rotate gear 23 and swing the segment 30 inthe opposite direction, thus throwing the 47 either tothe position'sfhown in Fig. 4, or to the position shown in F ig. 5, and effecting a corresponding movement ofthe armIv 49, which serves to rotate the gear shifting shaft 50 and move the gears withinthe transmission housing intomesh to give either a forward or reverse speed as may bei desired, depending upon the direction of movement of the handle 2S. liloreover, the actuation` of the segment 30 to shiftl the gears to desired position, or to bring them into neutral position, may be accomplished by suitable manipulation of the handle28 whatever be the position of the' beam with respect to the transmission housing, ory even. when the former is brought to the extremity of' its movement in one direction as shown in Fig. 4, the. handle 2S may be manipulated and the segment moved as readily as ywhen the Vbeam is in central position,-the universal and any tendency to cause binding or con-k striction ofthe parts ormovement of gear 23 is avoided.

It will be understood that while l have Vhereiirdescribed and illustrated a vpreferred formof my invention embodied in a tractor of well known design I do not thereby desire or'intend to limit myself solely thereto or tothe employment of the invention in any Aparticular type of tractor, as the particular details of construction and arrangement of the various parts may be modied, and means other Ythanfan extension o f the clutch shaft employed for rotatably supporting the segmental gear and other desired modifications effected in the general arrangement or form of the various parts to Vadapt the invention to particular conditions encountered in practice and to facilitate its employment with and embodiment in tractors oi" ditl'erent types,`without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States:

l. The combination in a tractor having a power unit comprising transmission gearing and a beam relatively movable with respect to said unit, of means for shifting said gearing comprising shitting means movable with said beam,A intermeshing gears supported adjacent said power unit, means connecting one of said gears with said transmission gearing and means connecting the other ot said gears with said shitting means.

2. The combination in a tractor having a power unit comprising transmission gearing and a beam relatively movable with respect to said unit, oi' means :tor shitting said gearing comprising shitting means supported on said beam and movable therewith, bevel gearing supported adjacent said power unit, means connecting one of said bevel gears with said transmission gearing and iiexible means connecting said shitting means with the other ot said gears.

3. The combination in Ya tractor having a power unit comprising` transmission gearing and a beam relatively movable with respect to said power unit, of means tor shitting the gears in said transmission gearing comprising a shitting lever supported on said beam and movable therewith, a shitting arm supported adjacent said gearing and connected therewith, a gear rotatable by said shitting lever, a segment in'engagement with and rotatable by said gear and means connecting said segment with said arm.

a. rEhe combination with a tractor having a power unit comprising a transmission gearing and a beam relatively movable with respect thereto, o' gear shitting means carried by said beam and means interposed between said shitting means and said transmission gearing whereby said gearinginay be shirt-ed independently of the position of said beam, said interposed means comprising a bevel-gear, a segment meshing with said gear,said gear and said segment being supported on said power unit, means connecting said segment with said transmission 'gearing and means connecting said shitting means with said bevel gear whereby 'said gear may be rotated by actuation of said shitting means.

Y 5. The combination in a tractor having a power unit comprising transmission gearing and a beam horizontally movable with respect to said unit, of gear shifting means carried by said beam, and means interposed between said shitting means and said transmission gearing whereby said shifting means may be operated independently of the position of the beam with respect to said power unit, said interposed means comprising a gear, iiexible means connecting said gear and shitting means, a segment meshing with said gear, said gear and said segment being 'supported adjacent said power unit, and

means connecting said segment with said transmission gearing.

G. The combination in a tractor having a power unit comprising transmission gearing, a housing for said gearing and a beam pivoted to said housing for horizontal movement with respect thereto, of gear shitting means supported on said beam and means interposed between shifting means and said transmission gearing whereby said shifting means may be operated to shift said gearing independently of the position of said beam with respect to said housing, said interposed means comprising a gear, a universal joint connected to said gear, meansconnecting said joint with said shifting means, a segment in engagement with said gear and rotatable thereby and means connecting said segment with said transmission gearing.

7. The combination in a tractor having a power unit comprising transmission gearing, a housing for said gearing and a beam pivoted to said housing for horizontal movement with respect thereto, of gear shifting means supported on said beam and means interposed between shitting means and said transmission gearing whereby said shifting means may be operated to shift said gearing independently of the position of said beam with respect to said housing, said interposed means comprising a gear, a universal joint positioned substantially in line with the pivotal axis ot said beamy and connected to said gear, means coniinecting said joint with said shitting means, a gear in engagement with aid gear and rotatable thereby and means connecting said last mentioned gear with said transmission gearing.

8. In a tractor having a sliding gear transl mission, means for shitting the gears in said transmission comprising a pair of intermeshmg gears supported adjacent to said transmission, means connecting one of said gears with the sliding gear of the transmission, a shifting lever and means connecting the other of said gears with said lever.

9. In a tractor having a sliding gear transmission, means for shifting the gears in said transmission, said means comprising a pair ot intermeshing gears supported adjacent said transmission, means connecting one of said gears with the sliding member of the transmission, a shifting lever, and means comprising a universal joint `connecting' the other of said gears and said shifting lever.

10. The combination in a tractor having a sliding gear transmission, a housing therefor and a member relatively movable with respect to said housing, of a gear shifting member carried thereby and movable there- With, means interposed between said shift- 10 ing member and said transmission gearing comprising intermeshing gearing Y supported Yadjacent said housing, means connecting one member of said gearing with said transmis'- sion gearing and means connecting the other member of said gearing' With said shifting member.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of July, A. 111920.

CARL it WALZ. 

